The inevitable time to launch a new site has finally come. This is an opportunity to emerge as a key industry player.
Building a website is a timely process requiring a niche set of technical knowledge… that’s why we exist. Gilligan Group has a comprehensive understanding of web development, and if you read this article, you will too!
Grab a pen and flick to a blank page in your notepad. It’s time to learn about website development timelines.
Our website-building process & timeline
Website development can take anywhere between a couple of weeks and several months. It depends on factors including website type, integrations and client consultation. That’s why ideation is so important… it helps us a measure the scale of the project, allowing us to provide clients with an estimated development timeline
This is our process…
Establishing a plan for success
Inception is critical. To establish a plan, we undertake a comprehensive audit of our client’s current platform, uncovering strengths and weaknesses. After this audit, we consult them to establish website priorities and provide constructive feedback about areas for improvement, enabling us to design the site with the business’s digital objectives front of mind.
User research
With these pillars set in place, we conduct a comprehensive analysis of the market. The process involves mapping key stakeholders, from investors to community members, identifying their specific needs, technical requirements and information priorities to guide the design process.
Strategic optimisation
Now, with a clear strategy, our digital team begin building an infrastructure that engages with relevant trends and the best practices in web development. Digital balances organisational objectives with user needs to establish clear pathways for different audience segments, ensuring all regulatory and compliance elements are incorporated.
Wireframing
Using prototyping software, we create detailed wireframes – a map showcasing a new websites main features and navigation – that visualise the user journey to optimise conversions and ensure critical information is found.
Website design & prototyping
From implementing new and improved page layouts to updating images, resources and documents, Gilligan Group is well-equipped to support Content Management System (CMS) requirements.
Digital takes the lead when building coherent sites optimised for the user. However, the design team possess a laser focus for visual consistency, adhering to the best industry practices and creating mock-ups that are aesthetically pleasing, reflective of your brand identity and guranteed to increase average session duration.
Website development & copywriting
Our development team keep enterprise-grade security, seamless integrations and optimised performance top of mind. This ensures your website is reliable and retains excellent functionality under all circumstances.
Gilligan Group’s copywriters write intriguing content that balances technical accuracy with persuasive messaging, communicating industry jargon, complex capabilities into concise copy for a range of stakeholders to comprehend. They have a way with words that extends literature… they’re also experts in SEO.
Website population
You can count on us to populate your website with meticulously crafted content before launch. Our digital strategists prioritise design and copy, ensuring that through visual elements and coherent messaging, each webpage strategically aligns with the desired vision.
Launch & beyond
Maintaining strong security and addressing your company’s changing priorities, products and services requires proper maintenance and management… beyond the initial launch.
Gilligan Group engages with industry-leading partners to offer premium hosting solutions, helping us maintain client websites with optimal efficiency and security. Our support package includes regular security updates, performance monitoring and technical assistance on command.
We also provide WordPress training course so you can manage your site internally. Through either group or one-on-one sessions, we provide mentoring sessions that cover all essential management tasks, whether that’s updating project portfolios, managing team profiles or publishing news updates.
Different types of websites
How long does each take to build?
Regardless of your request, from simple splash pages to ecommerce and product sites, all our websites are built in WordPress on a modular system for ultimate flexibility and scalability. Although each website is built with your desired aesthetic and functionality top of mind, the time required to build your site depends on integration requirements and several other factors.
Landing page: 1-4 weeks
Landing pages are single page websites built on a scalable WordPress infrastructure. It’s the page a user often finds themselves at after clicking on a link tied to a marketing campaign. We create these pages using custom designs that align with your brand. On average, landing pages take two to four weeks to build, which includes responsive design, CMS integration and analytics tracking.
Brochure business site: 4-8 weeks
Brochure sites incorporate everything you’d find in your company brochure into a website. It typically includes a home page, about page, contact page, product page, gallery page, blogs page and a contact page. With standard functionality, you can expect responsive design, basic design, CMS integration and analytics tracking. From conceptualisation to implementation, brochure sites take anywhere between four and eight weeks. A brochure site is a great way to increase digital presence. Functionality including investor integrations and other third-party integrations add to the complexity and timeframe of the build.
Membership or subscription websites: 8-10 weeks
A membership website restricts access to some or all content to either registered or paying subscribers. These sites typically include paid membership packages, custom membership zones and subscription packages and can be suited to a diverse range of businesses. Given the complexities of a pricing strategy, third-party integrations and email marketing, membership sites typically take somewhere between eight and 10 weeks to build.
Ecommerce, product & large-scale sites: 10-12 weeks
Large scale ecommerce sites allow people to buy and sell goods and services from the comfort of their dining table. They require significant time to design, plan and build. However, it’s also entirely dependent on what is requested. The following must be considered: the number of products, required features, payment gateway integrations and third-party integrations such as shipping platforms and marketing tools. These sites also require sufficient A/B testing of customer flows and payment reliability to ensure a seamless shopping experience. Considering this, ecommerce sites typically take somewhere between 10 and 12 weeks to develop.
Additional factors that influence website build time
Website type may be the most critical factor influencing website build time, but it’s not the only one.
Complex functionality
Features like portals, dashboards, user logins and integrations require custom coding, designing, testing, refinement and effective communication between departments. These processes cannot be undermined, as the consequences of launching a faulty website are better off avoided. Gold exploration company Torque Metals for instance, one of our listed clients, requires an investor portal integration – a webpage where shareholders can access valuable ASX announcements, reports and presentations.
Content creation
From designers to writers, Gilligan Group has a team of in-house creatives who write copy with compelling, SEO-friendly phrases. We ensure that each of the webpages we design are filled with accurate, concise and thorough dialogue that will increase engagement and general interest in your company. Writing with SEO front of mind requires deep research to guarantee the most relevant keywords are leveraged and incorporated into their copy. Therefore, before drafting a timeframe, web developers must consider the fact that copy is not only drafted from scratch, but it is also optimised for user engagement while reflecting the desired vision and identity.
Client response time
Timely responses are critical to ensuring that the web development schedule remains on track. Providing concise, accurate and constructive feedback help Gilligan Group’s team action requests promptly. If our client provides unclear or unpractical, the department head, of which the request concerns, will consult the client with justified reasoning, explaining the benefits of choosing an alternative route.
